Restrictive practices fined in Vigo
In Spain, the Comisión Nacional de los Mercados y la Competencia (CNMC), or the National Commission on Markets and Competition, has fined five stevedoring companies and five port unions for illegal agreements that have restricted competition in the Port of Vigo. These have kept prices artificially high and undermined the competitiveness of the port.
According to the ruling, these agreements prevented the loading and discharge of finished vehicles and the receipt and delivery of goods by non-stevedores.
“This goes against the relevant legislation, which gives freedom to companies to decide the composition of their workforce in activities that are excluded from [rules governing stevedoring],” said the CNMC.
The investigation was made following an approach by the Port Authority of Vigo, which had previously discussed the case with the national ports authority Ports of the State, effectively saying that an agreement reached between several operating companies and unions was not legal. The CNMC agrees, sanctioning two agreements signed in 2010 and 2013 between the Port Authority of Vigo, the port stevedoring company, five stevedoring companies holding shares in the port stevedoring firm and five unions.
Related Articles
PORT & TERMINAL NEWS
PORT & TERMINAL NEWS
PORT & TERMINAL NEWS